Major fire engulfs Delhi’s Shastri park furniture market
A massive fire broke out late Friday night at the furniture market in Delhi’s Shastri Park area near Seelampur Metro station, triggering panic among shopkeepers and nearby residents. Several shops were engulfed in flames as thick smoke billowed across the area while firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control.
According to Delhi Fire Services officials, an emergency call was received around 11:57 PM, following which multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire spread rapidly due to the presence of highly flammable materials such as plywood, wooden furniture, and adhesives. Since most of the market consisted of tin-roofed structures, the flames quickly intensified. In total, around 25 fire tenders were deployed to control the fire.
Tensions rose during the firefighting operation as some locals allegedly pelted stones at fire tenders, accusing authorities of responding too slowly to the incident. Videos circulating on social media showed damaged fire vehicles and large crowds gathered around the firefighters. Residents and shopkeepers reportedly expressed anger over the initial deployment of only a few fire tenders.
A Delhi Fire Services officer was injured during the operation after a tin shed collapsed while teams were battling the blaze. Despite the chaos and damage caused to one of the fire tenders, officials said the fire was eventually brought under control, and cooling operations continued throughout the night.
So far, no major casualties have been reported in the incident, though several shops are believed to have suffered significant losses. Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the fire as well as allegations regarding delays in the emergency response.
